Royal Runner Lightning Polka Out To Strike At Ayr
Following an outstanding debut at Haydock only a fortnight ago, Lightning Polka will seek to carry the royal colours to Group Three success in the Of Clyde at Ayr on Saturday.
The child of Night Of Thunder is one of the very first horses sent to fitness instructor Ed Walker by the King and Queen and made an ideal start to her profession on Merseyside.
Her handler is aware she has far more on her plate in Scotland this weekend, but is hoping she can prove as much as the task.
Speaking at Newbury on Friday, Walker stated: "It's a wedding day and she was truly remarkable at Haydock on her debut.
"I think she'll be OK on the ground, although Tom (Marquand) stated it was a bit dead and ugly when he rode there on Thursday.
"I think she'll improve again from this run and we've not done a lot given that Haydock as this comes quick enough. I would have enjoyed it to have been 3 weeks given that her launching rather than 2, however she's a great filly and she was really straightforward and professional very first time.
Trainer Ed Walker is prepared for a big afternoon at Ayr (John Walton/PA)
"It's a dream to train for the King and Queen and she was actually our very first two-year-old to have an obstacle, which I couldn't believe.
"I was so thrilled to train two horses for the King and Queen and I have a really nice filly who is a bit backwards and after that Lightning Polka, who is more of a two-year-old type. She went and picked up a niggle early, however fortunately she overcame that quickly and she's interesting."
One of the biggest hazards to Lightning Polka seems dual winner Coming Attraction, who won a hot conditions race at Chester last time and represents the flourishing Roger Varian string.
Also in the mix is Richard Fahey's Catching The Moon, who had to go for 2nd behind Albany Stakes runner-up Awaken on her Leicester debut before readily dispatching a subsequent winner at Beverley at the 2nd time of asking.
Fahey believes the No Nay Never filly might not realise her complete potential till next season, but is eager to evaluate the waters at a greater level before completion of her juvenile campaign.
"We do like her but I'm not sure how she will cope with the ground if it's on the slow side," he stated.
"We more than happy to run her and see what occurs. I think her very first run was quite great and we feel we would most likely beat the winner if we reunited and after that the race at Beverley which she won will have done her the world of good, so we've been pleased with her.
"She's a filly for next year actually and I didn't want to run her a lot of times, however I needed to run her once again so I believed I might also run her in a good race and see how she gets on."
An overall of 15 two-year-old fillies go to publish on the west coast of Scotland, with other noteworthy names including Simon and Ed Crisford's Lowther fourth Dandana, Ed Bethell's simple Catterick winner Rogue Attraction and George Boughey's unbeaten three-time winner India Love.
There is also competitive action, albeit with less runners, in the Listed Ladbrokes "Big Football Bet Builder Boosts" Doonside Cup, where Andrew Balding's Feilden Stakes winner Almeric makes his very first appearance considering that impressing at Newmarket in April.
He is the likely favourite in a field of 6 for a 10-furlong contest in which William Haggas is represented by Caviar Heights, with the Somerville Lodge handler hoping conditions stay ideal for a four-year-old who has actually suffered succeeding narrow defeats at Listed level in the Gala Stakes and August Stakes.
"He's been a bit unfortunate but he wants soft ground and ideally it will still have some cut in it on Saturday as the softer it is, the better he will be," stated Haggas.
"He's a really good horse and when he gets soft ground you'll see an even much better horse."